Apple has brought together the media to see their latest product. We’ll write-up a thorough summary of the event in a bit.
For now, here are the notable announcements as they happen:
- “The intersection of technology and liberal arts.” A device that bridges the gap between laptops and smart-phones (a 3rd category device) -- “Way better than a laptop, way better then a phone.”
- Prices starting at $499 for the 16GB model. 32GB is $599, 64GB is $699. The 3G models cost an added $130 (i.e. $629, $729, $829).
- Shipping in 60 days (April 1).
- “It’s half an inch thin and weighs just 1.5 pounds. That’s thinner and lighter than any netbook. Has a 9.7 inch IPS display.”
- 1 gHz Apple A4 chip
- Select models: 3G wireless data plans through AT&T at 250 MB/month -- $14.99, unlimited plan -- $29.99 (as well as free use of WiFi hotspots). Activated directly on iPad itself. No contract.
- 10 Hours of active battery life -- a month of standby life.
- 16, 32, or 64GB of flash storage.
- Wireless: WiFi 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR.
- Accelerometer, Compass, Speaker, Microphone, and 30-pin connector.
- Accessories: iPad dock, iPad keyboard dock, cases.
Here is Apple’s iPad introduction video:
Other features:
- Syncs with iTunes exactly like an iPod Touch (management and backup).
- Ebook reader -- iBooks app (looks like a bookshelf). Introducing the iBook store for one touch purchases (like iTunes). Harper Collins, Macmillan, Penguin, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette on board. Customizable font choices and sizes, drag pages by flicking or tapping.
- iWork -- Keynote (drag and drop slides, select multiple slides by tapping), Pages (touch typing, advanced text-wrapping), Numbers. Each app costs $9.99.
- Safari, mail, contacts, photos (with events, faces, places, and built-in slideshows), maps, and calendar apps included.
- Runs all 3rd-party applications from the iTunes app store.
- Gaming -- Target multiple contacts in a first person shooter game by touch-drawing an HUD box around each enemy. Need for Speed Shift -- tapping the mirror allows players to look behind them. Accelerometer controls.
- Newspapers -- Martin Nisenholtz: “We’re incredibly psyched to pioneer the next generation of digital journalism.” Features in-line videos, expandable pictures.
- “We have the iTunes store built right into the iPad.
- “YouTube -- including YouTube in High Def.”
- Looks, in general, like a larger version of the iPod touch -- giant touch screen display (no physical keyboard).
- New SDK out today with iPad tools.
What do you think of the iPad? Think you’ll be running Need for Speed Shift on one?
Thanks to Gdgt Live for the photo-assists.
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Am I extremely idiotic, or am I missing the big picture about the iPad? I have an iPhone, I have a PC… Why do I need this?
You might not need it. And if that's the case I'd recommend not buying it.
So you can say you own it?
It's just that I've heard so many people get extremely excited about this, but I just don't 'get' the hype!
OMG I never saw this coming…
The specs seem pretty solid, if iPhone doesn't come to Verizon I might have to pick this up.
I think I'd rather just have a laptop.
I agree with you. Why pay Apple $499 for the privilege of buying books and magazines on their device? Not sure I get the point. iPad just seemed like a larger iTouch/iPhone.
I' m not pleasantly surprised by the ipad either. I have a MacBook Pro and i love it. The iPad looks like a chubby iPod touch/iPhone;
that display-to-HomeButton ratio is weird too. I hope they will release iPhone OS 4 though!
So the iPad still depends on crappy AT&T for internet, has no multitasking capability despite being about the size of a small laptop and doesn't support Adobe Flash.
What's the point of this thing, again? An iPhone (without being, you know, a phone) for people who have poor vision and need a bigger viewscreen maybe??
100% agree.
I'm in the market for a portable computing device, but by that I mean a Macbook. The iPad isn't an alternative to a laptop in my opinion. It's a pretty sleek device, but I see it as more of a multimedia option to view movies, read books, manage calendars.
I feel like it's a device to lighten your briefcase/carry-on. Remove the novel you're reading, throw out your day-planner, etc and replace them with the iPad. That said, I probably won't get one unless I have extra money (probably never). Do I need it? Nope. Do I want one? Yup.